The typical press release format is only about 100 years old. It’s believed that it was Ivy Lee, known as "the founder of public relations," who issued what was essentially the first press release. That was in 1906.



He believed, rightly as it turned out, that issuing his own definitive version of a story would help to prevent the media from interpreting the facts in ways that might be detrimental to the company he was working for at the time.





The press release format has no doubt changed since then, but probably not too much. Today there is a definite format that is recognized and expected. In this article we will look at the standard press release format as it stands today.



There are seven elements in a typical press release format. This may vary depending on where the press release is issued, but these elements are the most commonly found and expected. In fact, some of the press release format elements are essential and really must be included.



At the top of the list is the headline and the sub-headline. A press release without a headline is unthinkable, just as any newspaper story would be. The headline sets the scene for what is to follow, and if it fails to make a big enough impact, the whole press release will most likely fail too.



The headline, as well as the sub-headline if used, should be written in a factual third person style and should contain no references to "I" or "we." Keep your ego well away from any press release format and it will be all the better for it.



The headline and sub-headline should always be followed by the introduction. This is usually a paragraph of around 50 or so words. Don’t make it too long or too short. It needs to tell the audience the what, why, where, when and how of the story being delivered. This is in effect a summary of the story, but written in such a way that the reader wants to read on.



After the introduction the story should be expanded on with more detail. This is the kind of detail that is not essential to the understanding if the story, but detail that makes it more interesting for those who want to know. Keep the overall length of the press release concise; just long enough to tell the story, but not so long that it starts to bore the reader.



After the body it is usual to have the boilerplate. This is a kind of "about us" section where you can tell a bit about the company issuing the press release. Format the piece in this way and the news editor will thank you for it.



The next element should be the close. This is simply a symbol that tells the overworked editor or reporter that the news piece has stopped. In North America it is traditionally a symbol that looks like this: -30-. A more recent practise is the use of three pound signs thus: ###. And in some countries it can simply and logically be the word, "ends".



No press release format is complete without a media contact information section. This part lists all the ways to contact the person responsible for the press release, such as telephone, email, mailing address, etc. It also names the person to be contacted, should that be required.



Using a press release format similar to this, you will find the task of submitting a press release to be much easier. News editors and reporters are a hard-headed bunch. Make their lives easier and they will make your easier too.